Town Square

City set to bid for historic post office

Original post made
on May 21, 2013

The check isn't exactly in the mail, but Palo Alto took its first major move toward buying the Hamilton Avenue post office Monday night when the City Council agreed to make a bid for the historic and iconic building.

This is exactly the type of feel good nonsense that has put our city in fiscal trouble. Our infrastructure is behind the times; our unpaid benefits for city employees is a looming nightmare. Yet we continue to come up with these schemes.

Our city council is very weak, and they cannot seem to say "no" to pressure groups.

I think it is a great idea. However, have you ever entered the Post office during the winter months and been told by the postal workers they are freezing? I would imagine we will have to spend more money to upgrade the site. Something to consider.

Posted by Jim H.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on May 21, 2013 at 12:33 pm

City continues to say we need a new public safety building. Now the city wants to buy a post office to go along with the abandoned medical center. Sell the Roth building, a d put all of the money towards a. We police building. Then move ALL of the planning department back to city hall and stop paying rent on the development office on Hamilton.
It's really hard to save money for needed things when you keep finding useless ways to spend it.

Posted by Janet
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on May 21, 2013 at 3:35 pm

The post office is the centerpiece of Palo Alto architecture.
Hopefully the city will finally do something right and purchase the building so future generations can see what Palo Alto used to look like. Miki's Market, the JCC and the other structural abominations along Alma Street, are, unfortunately, the legacy for this city council. Shame on them.

Posted by Not an issue
a resident of Community Center
on May 21, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Before we start bidding, we need to figure out how much this will cost us in the long run and what the city plans to do with it--- despite kniss and Holman cooing over this, they have never been fiscally responsible.
The JCC is a lovely structure-- the real abominations are the eichlers and most of the homes in professorville. The only recent abomination is the cheese cake factory

Posted by JerryL
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on May 21, 2013 at 5:00 pm

I have not seen any comment about Earthquake Safety. Is this historic building safe or not? How much will we have to spend to bring it
up to a safe condition? Will it have to be brought up to code? How much will that cost? It seems as if having to maintain historic features could drive up the costs of making the building safe because we will have to do it while not changing the appearance.

Posted by Not an issue
a resident of Community Center
on May 21, 2013 at 5:08 pm

Good point, jerryL. I am sure that this and other potential costs do matter to kniss/ Holman et al. If it is " historic" and council members can get some press coverage from supporting the issue ( a kniss specialty) then cost dosn't matter.
May I also suggest the money that knss/ Holman want to spend on the bike bridge over 101 be used for this--- et them choose.

Posted by Rick
a resident of Downtown North
on May 22, 2013 at 1:36 am

Let a private party purchase the post office, historic guidelines will still have to be followed. Close the downtown library which is just a homeless camp mainly and reconfigure it for the police department. Close down forest between Ramona and Bryant and create underground parking for the police vehicles. Then move the development center staff to the police floors in city hall. Enough of all these libraries and buying wasteful property. Get it together people!

Posted by David
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 24, 2013 at 10:52 am

If the city purchases this property, I foresee it turning into a money pit. While it may be a historic building with unique architecture, the city does not have the experience and resources to honor its heritage.